AMA Nominees Have "Confession" to Make

The contenders for the 32nd annual trophy fest included the Yeah!-famous, but no longer so squeaky clean sounding, Usher who picked up four nominations in all - two for his Confessions as Favorite Album in the Pop/Rock and the Soul/Rhythm & Blues categories, and two more in the same two categories for Favorite Male Artist.

Meantime the Hey Ya! famous funky duo OutKast earned three nominations - one for Favorite Band/Duo or Group in the ubiquitous Pop/Rock category, and another Favorite Band/Duo or Group nod in the Rap/Hip-Hop category in which their Speakerboxxx/The Love Below is in the race for Favorite Album.

Also earned three nominations is Kanye West. He ticked in as Favorite Male Artist in the Rap/Hip-Hop division along with Favorite Album The College Dropout, and he's also named in the Breakthrough category as Favorite New Artist (All Genres), where his competition is Maroon 5 and Gretchen Wilson.

Dick Clark, executive producer of the annual event, announced the nominations in company with American Idol's first winner Kelly Clarkson and actor/singer Nick Lachey, whose bride Jessica Simpson was nominated for artist and album in the Pop/Rock category.

The awards show, which will air on ABC live (or anyway what passes for live these days - and Super Bowl boob star Janet Jackson may show as she has a nomination as Female Artist in the Soul/Rhythm Blues category!) from the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, November 14, The three hour special is hosted for the second straight year by the network's late night talker star Jimmy Kimmel

The nominations for the nineteen awards in nine different categories are compiled with the help of data from the music trade publication Radio and Records and the album sales tracker Soundscan. A National Family Opinion poll that samples around 20,000 people will pick the winners.

Here are the nominees:

POP/ROCK:

Favorite Male Artist: Josh Groban, Lenny Kravitz, Michael McDonald, Usher

Favorite Female Artist: Sheryl Crow, Avril Lavigne, Jessica Simpson

Favorite Band/Duo or Group: Evanescence, Nickelback, OutKast

Favorite Album: Feels Like Home (Nora Jones) In the Skin (Jessica Simpson), Confessions Usher

SOUL/RHYTHM & BLUES:

Favorite Male Artist: R. Kelly, Prince, Ruben Studdard, Usher

Favorite Female Artist: Beyonce', Janet Jackson, Alicia Keys

Favorite Album: The Diary of Alicia Keys (Alicia Keys), Musicology (Prince), Confessions Usher

COUNTRY:

Favorite Male Artist: Kenny Chesney, Alan Jackson, Toby Keith, Tim McGraw

Favorite Female Artist: Martina McBride, Reba McEntire, Gretchen Wilson

Favorite Band/Duo or Group: Brooks & Dunn, Lonestar, Rascal Flatts

Favorite Album: When The Sun Goes Down (Kenny Chesney), Shock'n Y'All (Toby Keith), Martina (Martina McBride)

RAP/HIP-HOP:

Favorite Male Artist: Jay-Z, Juvenile, Lil' Flip, Kanye West

Favorite Band/Duo or Group: G-Unit, OutKast, Ying Yang Twins

Favorite Album: The Black Album (Jay-Z), Speakerboxxx/The Love Below (OutKast), The College Dropout (Kanye West)

ADULT CONTEMPORARY:

Favorite Artist: Harry Connick, Jr., Sheryl Crow, Norah Jones

LATIN MUSIC:

Favorite Artist: Marc Anthony, Intocable, Paulina Rubio

ALTERNATIVE MUSIC:

Favorite Artist: Incubus, Jet, Linkin Park

CONTEMPORARY INSPIRATIONAL:

Favorite Artist: Steven Curtis Chapman, MercyMe, Third Day

BREAKTHROUGH:

Favorite New Artist (All Genres): Maroon 5, Kanye West, Gretchen Wilson